How to Keep a Dog from Escaping the Yard?

How to keep a dog from escaping the yard, or rather, how to keep your dog in the yard, is a common question among pet parents. Some dogs are extremely territorial and actually prefer to remain in their own yard or territory. Other dogs feel the need to escape the yard and explore other areas. There are a number of reasons for the escape behavior in dogs.

Reasons for Escaping

There are several reasons which may be associated with a dog escaping the yard. First, the dog may simply just want to roam. The dog may naturally feel the need to explore. If your dog is not spayed (female) or neutered (male) he or she may escape to search for another dog to mate with. Male dogs are more likely to escape for the mate search than female dogs, though.

Separation anxiety may also be a potential cause for the escape artist to want to leave. How do you tell if he is experiencing separation anxiety and potentially rule out the other reasons? Does he cry? Is he destructive? Does he pace severely throughout the day? Does he tremble? If he shows any of these signs, separation anxiety may be a possibility.

Dog Escaping the Yard: Solutions

Fencing is often a common solution to a dog’s escaping issue. Many pet parents place some type of fencing around their yard to ensure their dog remains in the yard while they are busy in the home or away from the home. Physical fence is sometimes not completely effective, though. If your dog is a digger, he can easily escape from the fence.

Wireless fences, or electric fences, are sometimes preferred by pet owners as this sets a specific boundary. The electric fence can be set up to where your dog is permitted to roam anywhere in the yard; however, once she gets close to the boundary an alarm is sounded to your dog. If she does not return to her designated area (her yard), the dog is given a static correction. This startles the dog but does not harm the dog. The dog often learns her boundaries very quickly and is content being permitted to roam the yard on her own terms even while being restricted by the wireless fence.

Amber Johnson, Animal Behaviorist

Miss Amber Johnson has many years of experience with pets and is a licensed cat and dog nutrition and behavior specialist. She currently collaborates with PetPremium where she counsels clients in pet behavior and nutrition. The statements made in this article are the personal opinions of Miss Amber Johnson and based on independent experiences and could be different from the opinions of PetPremium Pet health Insurance or any other pet health insurance provider.